Abstract: A projector apparatus has an electrically conductive housing that includes a lower housing part and an upper housing part coupled to the lower housing part for covering the lower housing part, an internal projector module mounted in the housing, a first grounding component provided between the internal projector module and the upper housing part so as to establish a first grounding path between the internal projector module and the housing, and a second grounding component provided between the internal projector module and the lower housing part so as to establish a second grounding path between the internal projector module and the housing.

Abstract: This invention discloses an immersion exposure method which executes immersion exposure for an exposure target film by transferring an image of a pattern formed on a mask onto the exposure target film through an immersion medium. A first vapor pressure as the target value in an immersion exposure atmosphere which surrounds the immersion medium is set. A second vapor pressure in the immersion exposure atmosphere is measured. The first vapor pressure is compared with the second vapor pressure. Whether to adjust the vapor pressure in the immersion exposure atmosphere is selected in accordance with the comparison result.

Abstract: Various seal ring arrangements for an immersion lithography system are disclosed. With the seal ring arrangements, the immersion lithography system can provide better sealing effect for processing the wafers on a wafer chuck.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus that exposes an object to be exposed with light from an EUV light source. The light has an exposure wavelength component and a non-exposure wavelength component. The exposure apparatus has a detector that independently detects the quantity of light of the exposure wavelength component and the quantity of light of the non-exposure wavelength component of the light. Therefore, for example, even if the quantity of light of the exposure wavelength component and the quantity of light of the non-exposure wavelength component individually fluctuate, it is possible to accurately ascertain fluctuations in the characteristics of the optical system resulting from irradiation heat. As a result, it is also possible to achieve a high performance mirror adjustment system.

Abstract: An optical aligner includes a light source for generating an exposure light, an irradiation optical system for irradiating the exposure light onto a reticle, a projection optical system for transmitting the exposure light passed by the reticle to project the image of the reticle onto a photoresist mask, and a compensation optical system for generating a compensation light incident onto the reticle. The reticle reflects the compensation light in the light-shield area of the reticle to be incident onto the photoresist film. The compensation light compensates a flare light generated by the reticle from the exposure light to form a uniform pattern on the wafer.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system having optical elements capable of conditioning a radiation beam to comprise in cross-section a first portion of linearly polarized radiation and a second portion of unpolarized or circularly polarized radiation. The apparatus further comprises a support constructed to support a patterning device is provided, the patterning device being capable of imparting the illuminating radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. A substrate table is provided to hold a substrate, whilst a projection system is provided and configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relates to a substrate handler for handling a substrate, including a conditioning device for conditioning the substrate. In an embodiment, the substrate handler includes a displacing device configured to displace the substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the support surface, wherein the displacing device is configured to displace the substrate during the conditioning process from one conditioning position to one or more other conditioning positions. According to another embodiment of the invention, the substrate handler includes a float device for providing an air bed above a support surface of the substrate handler, the substrate handler being configured to support the substrate on an air bed during conditioning of the substrate.

Abstract: An exposing apparatus comprises a mask stage, a supporter that supports the mask stage, a substrate below the mask stage, and a substrate chuck that supports the substrate. The exposing apparatus further comprises a substrate chuck moving mechanism that moves the substrate chuck, a gap motor unit installed on the substrate chuck moving mechanism that controls a gap between the substrate and the mask stage, and a substrate chuck flatness maintaining mechanism that maintains a flatness of the substrate chuck.

Abstract: A dual mode LADAR/SAL apparatus is disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a gimbal capable of scanning in azimuth and in elevation and a sensor mounted on the gimbal. The sensor includes a telescope, a LADAR optical path, and a SAL optical path. The telescope defines an exit pupil through which the sensor collects reflected light. The sensor further includes means for directing light received through the telescope to the LADAR optical path in a first position and to the SAL optical path in a second position such that the SAL optical path receives the collected light from the exit pupil of the telescope. The means may be, for example, a mirror. In a second aspect, an apparatus includes a gimbal capable of scanning in azimuth and in elevation, and a sensor mounted on the gimbal. The sensor includes a telescope defining an exit pupil through which the sensor collects reflected light.

Abstract: A geographic data collecting system, comprising a distance measuring unit for projecting a distance measuring light and for measuring a distance to an object to be measured, a camera for taking an image in measuring direction, a display unit for displaying the pickup image, a touch panel provided to correspond to a screen position of the display unit, a tilt sensor for detecting a tilting of the measuring direction, and an arithmetic unit for calculating a distance to the object to be measured by giving consideration on the tilting in the measuring direction and a point-to-point distance as specified on the image by specifying two or more points of the object to be measured on a displayed image via the touch panel.

Abstract: A microscope having a device for merging different light beams, guiding them to a main beam outlet, and scrambling them in a way that a homogeneous intensity distribution is achieved there. When critical illumination is employed this carries over to a homogeneous illumination of the object plane of the microscope within the boundaries of a field of view determined by the boundaries of the main beam outlet. The device comprises a plurality of optical elements stacked in a row. The optical elements have light guiding properties and plane mating surfaces in a connection area between two adjacent optical elements, wherein the mating surfaces are inclined and serve as beam splitting surfaces.

Abstract: Systems and methods for EUV Light Source metrology are disclosed. In a first aspect, a system for measuring an EUV light source power output may include a photoelectron source material disposed along an EUV light pathway to expose the material and generate a quantity of photoelectrons. The system may further include a detector for detecting the photoelectrons and producing an output indicative of EUV power. In another aspect, a system for measuring an EUV light intensity may include a multi-layer mirror, e.g., Mo/Si, disposable along an EUV light pathway to expose the mirror and generate a photocurrent in the mirror. A current monitor may be connected to the mirror to measure the photocurrent and produce an output indicative of EUV power. In yet another aspect, an off-line EUV metrology system may include an instrument for measuring a light characteristic and MoSi2/Si multi-layer mirror.

Abstract: A method and apparatus uses photoluminescence to identify defects in one or more specified material layers of a sample. One or more filtering elements are used to filter out predetermined wavelengths of return light emitted from a sample. The predetermined wavelengths are selected such that only return light emitted from one or more specified material layers of the sample is detected. Additionally or alternatively, the wavelength of incident light directed into the sample may be selected to penetrate the sample to a given depth, or to excite only one or more selected material layers in the sample. Accordingly, defect data characteristic of primarily only the one or more specified material layers is generated.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating optical radiation includes a laser, which is configured to operate in multiple transverse modes simultaneously so as to generate an input beam, which is characterized by a first speckle contrast. The transverse modes of the input beam are optically mixed so as to generate an output beam have a second speckle contrast, which is substantially less than the first speckle contrast.

Abstract: Apparatus for inspecting a surface of a sample, including a detector and folding optics. The folding optics are configured to receive radiation arising from a first region of the surface and from a second region of the surface. The first region and the second region have a first spatial relationship with respect to each other. The folding optics form from the radiation a first image of the first region and a second image of the second region on the detector, wherein the first image is a linear transformation of the first region and the second image is the linear transformation of the second region. The first image and the second image have a second spatial relationship, different from the linear transformation of the first spatial relationship, with respect to each other.

Abstract: A lighting optical machine and defect inspection system having high reliability and safety when a laser beam is used as a light source. The lighting optical machine comprises: a housing, which accommodates a laser source, a beam polarization mechanism having first and second plane mirrors enabling a beam emitted from the laser source to be reflected so that the beam travels in the direction almost parallel to the beam emitted from the laser source, a beam expander for converting the beam to a parallel beam having a larger cross-sectional area, an objective lens, through which the parallel beam is reduced and applied to the surface of a sample; a first control mechanism for controlling the directions of the two plane mirrors of the beam polarization mechanism with an electric signal; and a second control mechanism for controlling the focus position of the beam expander with an electric signal.

Abstract: A method of forming a shadowgraph image is described, comprising the steps of illuminating a glazing (52), e.g., a vehicle windscreen, with light from a localised light source (50), said light being expanded and collimated by a lens optical system (54) or a mirror optical system, forming a virtual shadowgraph image of the glazing in a virtual image plane (56), which may be positioned behind or in front of the glazing: and imaging the virtual image onto a CCD camera (62). The glazing may be moving relative to the light source or may be stationary.

Abstract: A prescription verification system includes a database that contains a plurality of spectral signatures corresponding to identified pharmaceuticals. A multimodal multiplex sampling (MMS) spectrometer obtains a spectra of a pharmaceutical to be identified and verified. The pharmaceutical can be inside or out of a vial. The prescription verification system includes algorithms for matching spectra of pharmaceuticals to be verified obtaining using the MMS spectrometer to spectral signatures contained in the database corresponding to identified pharmaceuticals. The prescription verification system further includes algorithms for identifying such pharmaceuticals to be verified.

Abstract: An ion implanted semiconductor surface is illuminated with a flood illumination of monochromatic radiation, and an image of the surface is taken using light which has been Raman scattered. The illumination and imaging system are calibrated by flood illuminating a uniformly Raman scattering surface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for assessing a constituent in a semiconductor workpiece are disclosed herein. Several embodiments of the invention are directed toward non-contact methods and systems for determining a dose and an implant energy of a dopant or other constituent implanted in a semiconductor workpiece. For example, one embodiment of a non-contact method for assessing a constituent in a semiconductor workpiece includes irradiating a portion of the semiconductor workpiece, measuring photoluminescence from the irradiated portion of the semiconductor workpiece, and determining a physical property of a doped structure in the semiconductor workpiece based on the measured photoluminescence.

Abstract: An atomic absorption spectrometer is disclosed which includes a monochromater and an optical path defined by a toric mirror, a flat mirror, a flat mirror, a flat mirror, a toric mirror, and a further toric mirror. The toric mirror directs light through entrance slit of the monochromater so that radiation is reflected from diffraction grating and out exit slit to a detector. A sample stage in the form of a furnace is located between the mirrors. The monochromater is oriented so that the entrance slit is arranged transverse to the vertical.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and device for simultaneous optical trapping, stretching, and measurement of morphological deformation of a micro-particle in real-time. Using the setup of the present invention, the deformability of a living cell can be obtained in real-time by measuring the variation in coupling efficiency with optical power of light coupled from one single-mode fiber to the other through the lensing effect of the trapped-and-stretched micro-particle.

Abstract: A system and method for counting opaque particles within a fluid sample. The system uses an optical lens system to focus a light beam onto a sample on a multi-dimensional translation stage. The translation stage is moved in a pattern such that the intensity of the transmitted light is measured as a function of path length. A photo detector is used to measure the transmitted light through the sample. An analog-to-digital converter quantifies the transmitted light intensity. Changes in light intensity along the path length are correlated with the detection of an opaque particle. Data processing algorithms are implemented to automatically determine the background noise level associated with the acquired data and to set a discriminator level above which a particle is registered. The total number of particles and an areal density is reported along with an estimate of the uncertainty.

Abstract: Relating to chiral detection systems, various improvements are disclosed including an improved apparatus for detecting a chiral property of a sample. It has a rugged and stable optical rail that operates as a heat sink to the systems' elements and comprises a captive guide structure of heat conductive material having an elevated top platform and a dove tailed lip on the sides. The elevated top platform has a substantial width in comparison to a height of the elevated top platform. The apparatus further includes a wide base portion of heat conductive material supportive of the captive guide structure. The base has a width that is at least twice the width of the elevated top platform and a substantial thickness relative to the captive guide structure.

Abstract: A substrate distortion measurement apparatus comprising one or more optical detectors arranged to measure the locations of pits or holes provided in a substrate, a memory arranged to store previously determined locations of the pits or holes in the substrate, and a comparator arranged to compare the measured locations of the pits or holes with the previously determined locations of the pits or holes, to determine distortion of the substrate.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for determining the center of a rotationally symmetrical alignment mark thereby using an image recognition software. The alignment mark is recognized by the image recognition software in different orientations by rotating the alignment mark around a symmetry angle with respect to which the alignment mark is rotationally symmetrical, and respective reference points are determined. The center of rotation of the determined reference points corresponds to the center of the alignment mark. Moreover, the invention provides a method for aligning two flat substrates each having a rotationally symmetrical alignment mark and being arranged substantially parallel with respect to each other.

Abstract: Disclosed are overlay targets having flexible symmetry characteristics and metrology techniques for measuring the overlay error between two or more successive layers of such targets. In one embodiment, a target includes structures for measuring overlay error (or a shift) in both the x and y direction, wherein the x structures have a different center of symmetry (COS) than the y structures. In another embodiment, one of the x and y structures is invariant with a 180° rotation and the other one of the x and y structures has a mirror symmetry. In one aspect, the x and y structures together are variant with a 180° rotation. In yet another example, a target for measuring overlay in the x and/or y direction includes structures on a first layer having a 180 symmetry and structures on a second layer having mirror symmetry.

Abstract: A system determines relative positions of a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of laser beam spots on or within the semiconductor substrate in a machine for selectively irradiating structures on or within the substrate using a plurality of laser beams. The system comprises a laser source, first and second laser beam propagation paths, first and second reflection sensors, and a processor. The laser source produces at least the first and second laser beams, which propagate toward the substrate along the first and second propagation paths, respectively, which have respective first and second axes that intersects the substrate at respective first and second spots. The reflection sensors are positioned to detect reflection of the spots, as the spots moves relative to the substrate, thereby generating reflection signals. The processor is configured to determine, based on the reflection signals, positions of the spots on or within the substrate.

Abstract: A calorimeter for measuring a color of light includes a color sensing device, a suspension means and a counterweight. The suspension means suspends the color sensing device in an operative relationship relative to a color producing device, while the counterweight is secured to the suspension means and balances the color sensing device in the operative relationship relative to the color producing device.

Abstract: There is provided a light measurement apparatus includes a light source, a container which includes a sample tank, a lens which condenses light from a sample accommodated in the sample tank or from the container which are exited by a exciting light from the light source, a photodetector which detects light from the sample accommodated in the sample tank or from the container, wherein the light passes through the lens, a position detecting unit which detects a position of the sample tank based on a detection output from the photodetector, and a position adjusting unit which sets the container or the lens based on a detection output from the position detecting unit.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting fluorescent light by providing a filter assembly including an excitation filter and an emission filter.

Abstract: An illumination system for a web inspection process is provided. The illumination system cooperates with a camera system to detect defects in the web material, with the camera having a line of light sensors. The illumination system has a single light source and a lens that arranges the light into a set of light beams. Each beam is projected to an associated small portion of the web, so that together, the light beams illuminate an inspection line on the web. After the beams have been projected onto the web, light from each individual web portion is received by one sensor in the camera. Depending on the camera and light configuration, the light may be either refracted through or reflected from the web. If a defect is present in one small portion, then some of the light beam associated with that portion will follow a different path than when no defect is present, and will not be received at the sensor.

Abstract: In order to provide a filter device capable of maintaining stable optical characteristics for an extended period of time and to provide also a photosensor using the filter device, a photosensor having a filter function includes a filter device having a colored glass filter and configured for permitting transmission of light of a predetermined wavelength range including a detection target wavelength range and a light receiving device for receiving the light transmitted through the filter device. The filter device includes a first interference filter structure comprised of a plurality of light transmitting layers stacked on each other, the first interference filter structure being deposited on a face of the colored glass filter. The light receiving device includes a semiconductor photodetector structure having one or more semiconductor layers, a light receiving area being formed in the one or more semiconductor layers within the semiconductor photodetector structure.

Abstract: A system and method for quantifying opaque inhomogeneities within a fluid sample. The system uses an optical lens system to focus a light beam onto a stage where the sample is introduced. The light beam is directed onto the sample in a pattern such that the intensity of transmitted light is measured as a function of path length. A photo detector measures the transmitted light through the sample. Fluctuations in transmitted light intensity are then correlated with detection of opaque inclusions in the sample. The system also includes an automated program which utilizes these optical concentration measurements to determine the fouling potential of visbroken tars, and regulates the introduction of chemical inhibitors into a visbreaker unit to improve the yield of light streams and/or economic value of product.

Abstract: A modulated reflectance measurement system includes lasers for generating an intensity modulated pump beam and a UV probe beam. The pump and probe beams are focused on a measurement site within a sample. The pump beam periodically excites the measurement site and the modulation is imparted to the probe beam. For one embodiment, the wavelength of the probe beam is selected to correspond to a local maxima of the temperature reflectance coefficient of the sample. For a second embodiment, the probe laser is tuned to either minimize the thermal wave contribution to the probe beam modulation or to equalize the thermal and plasma wave contributions to the probe beam modulation.

Abstract: In an apparatus which determines characteristics of a thin film according to the present invention, a temporal change in a refractive index n and an extinction coefficient k of a thin film in a period from start of a change in the thin film as a processing target (e.g., melting) to end of the change (e.g., solidification) can be obtained with a high time resolution of pico-seconds. Based on this, it is possible to know a progress of a change in state of the thin film (e.g., crystallization) or a transition of growth of crystal grains in units of pico-seconds.

Abstract: A method for determination of/compensation for the bias/random walk errors induced by the light source in fiber-optic Sagnac interferometers employing a modulation method for stochastically independent shifting of the operating point to the points of highest sensitivity. A reference beam is output from the light beam emitted from the light source of the interferometer and passed to the fiber coil to produce a proportional reference intensity signal. Such signal is demodulated with the demodulation pattern of the rotation rate control loop to demodulate the rotation rate intensity signal (proportional to rotation rate). The demodulated reference intensity signal measures the bias/random walk errors to be determined. Demodulation of the reference intensity signal is simultaneous with that of the rotation rate intensity signal so that components of the reference and rotation rate intensity signals (each resulting from light components simultaneously emitted from the light source) are identically demodulated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fiber-optic seismic sensor (200) with a test body (110), characterized in that the test body (110) comprises several separate dishes (113, 114, 115, 116) that are distributed around the direction of the sensitive axis of the sensor and two star-shaped elements (120, 130) placed on either side of the dishes (113, 114, 115, 116) and mechanically linking said dishes (113, 114, 115, 116) together.

Abstract: Common path frequency domain optical coherence reflectometry/tomography devices with an additional interferometer are suggested. The additional interferometer offset is adjusted such, that it is ether less than the reference offset, or exceeds the distance from the reference reflector to the distal boundary of the longitudinal range of interest. This adjustment allows for relieving the requirements to the spectral resolution of the frequency domain optical coherence reflectometry/tomography engine and/or speed of the data acquisition and processing system, and eliminates depth ambiguity problems. The new topology allows for including a phase or frequency modulator in an arm of the additional interferometer improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the devices. The modulator is also capable of substantially eliminating mirror ambiguity, DC artifacts, and autocorrelation artifacts. The interference signal is produced either in the interferometer or inside of the optical fiber probe leading to the sample.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical sensing device, which comprises a light source emitting a light; a beam splitter; an SPR sensor unit comprising a sensing surface; and a detecting mechanism; and a converting unit converting the first beam and the second beam from the optical device into a two-dimensional interference fringe pattern. From the above-mentioned configuration, an extra phase shift of a detection beam in SPR phase measurement is obtained. The differential measurement approach has shown to achieve a sensitivity figure significantly better than the best result that can be obtained from the prior art in the field of the measurement based on an SPR sensor.

Abstract: An interference signal S(t) is provided from interference between two beams directed along different paths. The signal S(t) is indicative of changes in an optical path difference n{tilde over (L)}(t) between the different paths, where n is an average refractive index along the different paths, {tilde over (L)}(t) is a total physical path difference between the different paths, and t is time. An error signal is provided to reduce errors in an estimate of {tilde over (L)}(t). The error signal is derived at least in part based on one or more collective properties of a distribution of multi-dimensional values. At least one of the multi-dimensional values in the distribution is generated from a plurality of samples of the signal S(t) (e.g., samples of the signal captured at different times).

Abstract: A reflecting member has: a first reflecting surface, which extends in a second direction that includes a first direction component; a second reflecting surface, which extends in a third direction that includes the first direction component, that is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface; and a third reflecting surface, which extends in a fourth direction, that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

Abstract: The disclosure includes a system, device, apparatus and programmed medium of measuring thickness of an optical disc by using an interference effect of the optical disc layer. Such a system can include: a spectroscope to separate light, reflected from a surface of an optical disc, into constituent frequencies thereof; an optical intensity measuring unit to measure intensities of the constituent frequencies, respectively, as a first spectrum of data; and a processor to do at least the following, convert the first spectrum data into a second spectrum of values that exhibits variation as a function wavelength and refractive index, transform the second spectrum using a Fast Fourier Transform, and detect a thickness of one or more of the spacer layer and the cover layer, respectively, based upon the transformed spectrum. The disclosed technologies have advantages for high precisely measuring thickness of an optical disc.

Abstract: A method of determining an amount of tilt may include projecting at least two coherent wavefronts toward a target surface, the wavefronts reflecting from the target surface to create an interference fringe pattern on a detector, and transmitting a beam toward the target surface, the transmitted beam reflecting from the target surface to form a beam spot on the detector. A fringe pitch indicative of a distance to the target surface may be determined based on the interference fringe pattern. A displacement on the detector of the beam spot, relative to a nominal location of the beam spot when the target surface is at a nominal angle of incidence relative to the beam, may be determined. The amount of tilt of the target surface relative to the nominal angle of incidence, may be determined based on the displacement of the beam spot and the determined fringe pitch.

Abstract: White light interferometry is used to obtain the height information of the topmost surface of an object having a transparent thin film on it. N frames of data are acquired from an interferometer while a white light fringe pattern is scanning through a field of view. The modulation fringe envelope R(n) is calculated for every pixel; and the topmost surface position at every pixel is determined as an offset of R(n).

Abstract: A method for measuring displacement of an object (20) having a flat surface (21), includes the following steps. When the object is in a first position (A), a first laser beam is emitted onto the flat surface at a first incident angle, the first laser beam thereby is reflected by the flat surface and incident onto a light sensitive transducer (30) at a first incident location (35) at a second incident angle. The object is then moved to a second position (B), second laser beam is emitted onto the flat surface at the first incident angle, the second laser is reflected by the flat surface and incident onto the light sensitive transducer at a second incident location (35?) at the second incident angle. Lastly the displacement (D) of the object is calculated according to a distance (L) between the first and second incident location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling output timing of video data for image formation are provided. The method for controlling the output timing of the video data includes counting a generation time of a horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC; comparing the counted time to an average time of previously counted times; and controlling the output timing of the video data for image formation according to the comparison result. Therefore, when the generation of a horizontal synchronization signal is delayed or advanced due to various external factors, the output timing of video data can be adjusted by including errors of the horizontal synchronization signal in an offset value to set a margin on a printing paper.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a buffer to store n lines of data divided into areas of column units. The apparatus obtains information of a column position corresponding to an end of an image to be printed with respect to a scanning direction of a print head. The apparatus reads data from the areas of the column units including the column position information and reduces the data to generate reduced data. The apparatus compresses the reduced data by using a pattern having n lines of data to generate first compressed data. Then, the apparatus compresses the first compressed data by k-bit units to generate second compressed data.

Abstract: A recording apparatus having a buffer to store recording data associated with a recording area in a scanning direction of a recording head divided into a plurality of areas. The buffer stores the recording data in units of the divided areas. The recording apparatus includes a signal generation unit configured to output a signal according to a position of the recording head, a transfer data generation unit configured to generate transfer data transferred to the recording head based on the signal output from the signal generation unit, and a pattern data generation unit configured to generate predetermined pattern data. The transfer data generation unit includes a first input section for receiving the recording data read from the buffer and a second input section for receiving the pattern data generated by the pattern data generation unit.

Abstract: A purpose of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of independently converting the frequency characteristics of particular hue components in a color image. In an image processing apparatus for converting the frequency characteristics of first color data representing a color image and outputting second color data corresponding to the first color data, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention has a hue region data calculation means for using the first color data to calculate first hue region data valid for a plurality of particular hue components in the color image represented by the first color data, a frequency characteristic conversion means for converting the frequency characteristics of the first hue region data independently for each of the hue components and thereby outputting second hue region data, and means for calculating the second color data by using the second hue region data.